Movable roof stabilizer



Feb. 24, 1948. w. e. LAIRD MOVABLE ROOF STABILIZER Filed May 20, 1944illilll II INVENTQR WILBUR. G. LAIRD 3PM ATTQRNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1948UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOVABLE ROOF STABILIZER Wilbur G. Laird,Pleasantville, N. Y.

Application May 20, 1944, Serial No. 536,493

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in appar-atus for storing liquidsor gases or both, and more particularly to tanks or containers providedwith a vertically movable roof such as a lift or bell, or other type ofroof in combination with means for guiding the roof.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No.448,822, filed June 27, 1942.

The expansion roofs of large oil storage tanks must be guided in theirvertical movement to prevent tipping. The guiding or stabilizing meansof the present invention is particularly adapted for controlling themovement of lifts, bells and other types of roofs for either liquid orgas storage apparatus and may be used regardless of the sealing means bywhich the roof is sealed with respect to the body of the tank orcontainer.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedstorage apparatus in which a novel stabilizing means is provided for theroof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roof stabilizing meanswhich may be mounted entirely outside the roof and container andtherefore be readily accessible for repairs and inspection, and be outof contact with the fluid or fluids stored in theapparatus. Thestabilizing means may be mounted inside the container if desired.

Accordingly, the storage apparatus of the present invention comprises anupright cylindrical type container or tank, a roof for the fluidto bestored therein which is movable vertically with changes in the volume offluid in the tank or container, and means for guiding the roof orstabilizing it from substantial tilting or tipping,

The pending application referred to discloses the use ofdistributedhydraulic units of the type described, that is, a pluralityof sets or pairs, cross-connected, for maintaining parallel motion of aportion of a vertically movable roof fora storage tank. Each of theunits includes spaced upper and lower cylinders mounted in vertical.alignment and in fixed position with "respect to each other by means ofa solidframe. Each unit is provided with a plunger which extends into thcylinders t r h. i kli l 2 plunger being provided with a, central lug bywhich the plunger is connected to the peripheral portion of the roof tobe kept horizontal. The lower cylinder of each pair of units or controlmechanism is connected by a conduit to the opposite upper cylinder.

Said application disclosesthat the cylinders are provided with plungersof equal displacement, and all cylinders and lines filled with oil orother pressure transmitting liquid. The plungers are all connected tothe same peripheral part of the roof. When the plungers are forced intothe lower cylinders they cause liquid to be forced through the conduitsinto the opposite upper cylinders, The plungers have the same diameterand displacement so' that the quantities of pressure medium forced fromthe lower cylinders into the opposite upper cylinders are the same. Twoor more pairs of the units distributed around the roof insure. parallelmotion, because no plunger can move unless the plunger of the oppositeconnected unit moves to the same extent and in the same direction.

The detailed features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription thereof taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings inwhich: I

Fig. l is a broken front view partly in vertica section of a storageapparatus for fluids constructed in accordance with and illustrating oneform of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken horizontal sectional view of a part of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1, taken on 35 the line 22.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the expansion relief chambershown in Fig, 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a modiflcation of the arrangementof the plunger unit shownin Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the apparatus illustrated isof the type used for the storage of petroleum products such as crude oiland gasoline, and comprises an upright cylindrical steel shell l0 havinga bottom plate I2 (Fig. 2). The shell l0 supportsa trough 0r launder I4having an inner wall 16 provided with a top curb l8. The launder l4holds a sealing liquid and extends entirely around the upper portion ofthe shell which serves as the outside wall of the launder. The launderis shown inside the shell but may be outside if desired, although it issomewhat more convenient to have it inside in the present instance, Thetank roof comprises a cambered or cone-shaped plate 20 having a sub- 3 4stantially flat section 22 which extends over the If the plunger of oneunit is forced down by the launder l4 and which may be integral with theroof, it forces liquid from the lower cylinder and roof plate 20, or anattached continuation. The draws liquid into the upper cylinder, therebyafroof also includes an annular or cylindrical sheet fecting theconnected unit to draw liquid from metal curtain wall or apron 24, whichis secured 5 the lower cylinder and force liquid into the upper to theroof plate 20 in a fluid-tight manner, and cylinder which causes theplunger therein to which seals in the liquid in the launder M. The movedown.

roof may also be provided with a weather hood Two or more pairs of theseplunger and cylin- 26 which IIIQYQEQbQltEd or otherwise fastened to "degj units distributed around the roof insure the edge of the plate 22. i10 paralleljniotion because no' plun'g'er can move The bell-type lift asshown moves up and down, unless the plunger of the opposite connectedunit according to the changes in volume of the liquid QII to the saextent and i the same direcor vapor in the container. These changes maytiqn. ljhe distributed connected pairs of units be caused by changes inthe atmospheric condialso" provide a cushioning means for the roof tionsor by the introduction of or 'withdrawal of 1'5 bfi ii lwfi .lig l mustbe moved through e li the stored fluids. Containers on expansion roof 50when the roof moves up or down.

tanks of this type prevent loss of valuable volatile The upper portionof each pipe 50, and the constituents which would be lost by evaporationassociated Cylinders are connected inf/0 a relief if stored in opentanks, chambeiBZ by a connecting line 54. Each chams as wea er nt Therust -1&1, Dfjijh relief chambers 52 in n ili y i e i Shawn i i Bills h.te ti e dt jj ihza,stptye iss is; ma ntainin the n 58 and itsassociated cylindersjiHedwith oil'or other .liquid under yarious emperaure conditions. The line 51 nthe cnaifiberisprb ided with a cutbttya etig jch amnesty a float 60. At the top ofjhe line 4i 's' essiir' reliefverve 62 of con- A i er ends of these 25, ventional'type-fidapted 't'ooperate w release oil J achedtothe roof plate L i jnf' lil iliflfl'e 5,1 fif $1 fifedeterniin'ed maximum 1 by'we di'n other lso provided withan h s 'rr hy be of'any dec c s-sjecuo putare prefeifablyof thechanection' shOwnl int F a. zijahdfprovided with ls'oilo'rotherjliqiii'd. The valve}! is connectedckfflangesjglwhichoperatefbetween ajpair mic the uses-a "below thefioat'valve.

According. to the feeitures oi the present inx V i keptjh itslhorma'l In; prevented from cans; comprising 'a ffcfhaiigeurolle s mou nedii jsacea brackets sihc'e it' is abrialrfit that the liquid i "the "BB attachjerl t the t f tl fijshell l0. plunger units will egrpand when itstemperature ontr wh 'ts terh'p'e'rature falls, 7 fi ledw thj'sifiicieiit liqu'id to take "care of "any possiBIe coi'itraction of theliqntq the line 54 and line 53 v' t4. wn'nt e temperaecurity theistic ider38and and "it exp nds to creil Thespacebetweenqs are p axinaumpressure in the hicfh thieroofjmollfls. it: atically caresses-squ d intothe chamber aplunger or ram 44 S2 tdgom rfsateior the expansion of theliquid.

fiders'38 and 40 llffde's'i'red fifiatcor'ltfolled valve 53 the beomitted, 1but"it serves, as indicated, to prevent the 'rel asoj'fiiofeliquid through the valve 62 than 'thatrequ r'ea' temperate thefi6at 59,so" as to cut 61f the-new through 54. The valve 58 w is preferablyiludedlntli'e assembly. The'cl'os- 5 5 "ihg"6 f the i791 e 5!; "may-causethe pressure to b'iiild'iifisoirieivhatbiit}preventsfreleaseof an eX-jcss yquaiiuty iiiinnia npmtne mnger unit's. The-plunger uiiits illstanu sxnemeiy high press 'es. fTfie'valvleffi'zis 'rerersbiysetto'openonly at'a'ielat'iteiiiiii h assured, for exainple,'from v ISQQ tpoo seunus -per square inch whe're'thr'ee d; placement, the 1' aimareused. Other "lower cylinder, y be; "d oa ut'om cally"release liqe tlibpericylinden'will imovejdpwn through ppbsfite plunger e exact'am'ount of x 1 lower "cylinder. efplungersjwill move n'ie verticaldistance, dWill be'iorced from drawn into the "'s. 'Ihe "6p;-

e rejbe'keptfat revenue-tank. "75

formed. Each of the connecting pipes 86is provided with a, reliefchamber 52 as in Fig. 1. In this modification the plungers, and the"roof to which they are connected, must move .in unison in the samedirection and to the same extent because the liquid in the cylinders issubstantially incompressible, and is adapted to flow through a line 66in either direction between the lower cylinder of one unit and the uppercylinder of an adjacent unit.

The plunger units may be interconnected in other ways than that shown inFigs. 1 and 4 to insure the proper guiding of the roof in its up anddown movements with respect to the tank or storage container.Furthermore, the units may be mounted inside the container and at anydesired level, although it is preferred to have them outside thecontainer so that they will be accessible for inspection and repair. Theplungers may be connected to the roof by any suitable means adapted totake the up and downthrust,

other than the beams 28, and the units may be suitably combined withother roof stabilizing or guiding means. The securing of the plungerunit cylinders to the stationary part of the apparatus,

combined with the beams 28 and'guide rollers 34, provide a veryeffective vertical guide means for controlling an expansion or movableroof. However, the plunger may be the fixed member while the barrelsmove if such an arrangement is de-' sired.

The connecting pipes or lines 50 and 66 may be provided with connections(not shown) for filling, and the cylinders may be provided with suitablevalved air vents at the top for venting;

air or other gas when the units are initially filled with liquid. Thelines 50 or 66 may be mounted on the outside of the tank or may extendacross through the tank, below the roof. It might be ofconsiderable'advantage in the case of the lines.

50 to have them go straight through the tank since they would be shorterand about on a diameter. They could be supported by the inside roofsupports which are almost always necessary for tanks of any substantialdiameter. Where the pipes pass through the tank wall they may be weldedin the wall or otherwise extended through by a fluid-tight joint or beextended through a pipe casing. 'The pipes may be connected into anypart of the cylinders or barrels 38 and 40, which need not be accuratelysized, machined inside, or of the same capacity.

The cylinders or barrels 38 and MI may be made by welding heads onsuitable lengths of standard steel pipe of the selected diameter. Theplungers may be made from solid billetsior of pipe lengths with pluggedor welded-in ends, the pipe being machined to a uniform diameter, andplated or protected against corrosion. Theliquid used. in the hydraulicsystem is preferably a stable oil which will be fluid and non-volatileat The plunger units may be'mounted on the roof, I

if desired, and beams or. other means used to connect the plungers to afixed part of the apparatus. -The cylinders of each unit are preferablyarranged in line, one above the other, with a single'plunger or ramoperating therein, in the simple form'described and illustrated, but itis apparent that they could be arranged horizontally or. at some otherangle if suitable leverage means-connects theplunger to the roof.Furthermore, the cylinders of a unit can be arranged otherwise thanin aline, for example, at the same level and upright, if two interconnectedplungers are used, only one of which would be connected to. the roof,the same one in each of several units. Two plungers in a unit of thistype might be connected by a walkingbeam so that one plunger would drawin the same volume of liquid forced out by the other.

Further modifications may be made without departing from the invention.7

Having described'the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed asnew is:

- i. In astorage apparatus for fluids including .an upright cylindricalcontainer and a vertically movable roof-sealed with respect to thecontainer Wall, a plurality of at least three spaced hydraulicstabilizing units distributed around the container, each of said unitsincluding a pair of vertically spaced chambers fixed to the container, aplunger extending into said chambers and vertically movable therein;connecting means between the midall temperatures encountered, and of lowexpansion characteristics. The liquid may contain an anti-corrosionagent.

.The stabilizing means of the present invention may be applied tovarious types of'tanks or containers for liquids and gases or both, andto various types of roofs such as bells, decks, floating roofs andpiston roofs. Where it is desired merely to store gases, a launder maybe made of concrete in the earth, and the earth inside the laundergas-proofed and rounded to support the roof.

The stabilizing units adjacent each other around the apparatus may bearranged in pairs portion of each plunger and the roof, and a conduitfrom the lower chamber of each unit to the upper chamber of a;diiferentunit, the plungers of the units interconnected by a conduit bein ofequal displacement.

2.- An apparatus for holding fluids, comprising a container including avertically movable belltyperoofseaied with respect to the stationarypart of the container, a plurality of at least three spaced hydraulicunits for preventing the tipping of the'roof, said units beingdistributed around the container and each unit including a pair ofchambers for hydraulic liquid arranged with one spaced substantiallyabove the other and attachedto a fixed part of the apparatus, a plungeroperating between and extending into the chambers of each pair andoperative therein to replace liquid and be displaced by liquid, themid-portion ofieach plunger being attached to the roof and operablethereby, a..pipe connecting the lower chamber of each unit with theupper chamber of a difierent unit, and an expansion chamber connectedwith each two hydraulic chambers which are interconnected by a pipe, theplungers of the. units connected by a pipe being of equal displacement.

3. An apparatus for holding fluids, comprising a container including avertically movable belltype roof sealed with respect to the stationarypart of the container, a plurality of at least three spaced hydraulicunits for preventing the tipping of theroof, said units beingdistributed around the containerand each unit including a pair of.ch'argegand discharge chambers for hydraulic liquid upon a givenvertical movement of the roof, said chambers being attached to a fixedpart .of theapparatus, plungers. of equal displacement extending intothe chambers of all units and operative therein by the roof to replaceliquid and be displaced by liquid, a plunger of each unit being attachedto the roof by a beam which is attached to the plunger between thechambers like the pair of units shown in Fig. 1, if desirable. n of theunit, and a pipe connecting the charge

